Man charged in wire fraud scheme involving $1.3 million

A Baton Rouge man has been charged with engaging in a scheme to defraud his former employer ISC Constructors, LLC and Chevron USA Inc. of $1,300,000.

The indictment charges that throughout 2013 and 2014, while working as the project manager of a job site in Pascagoula, Mississippi, Thomas J. Tanner caused false payroll information and false documentation to be submitted to ISC and Chevron. According to the indictment, he caused the false documents to be submitted via email from the job site in Mississippi to ISC Headquarters in Baton Rouge, LA.

Based on the false representations, Tanner unlawfully benefited both financially and professionally over the course of approximately 14 months. The indictment charges Tanner with four counts of wire fraud. The indictment also includes forfeiture allegations.

"The FBI New Orleans Division will continue to investigate allegations of wire fraud and similar while collar crimes that defraud Louisiana employers and residents," said Assistant Special Agent-in-Charge Dan Evans.

This ongoing investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Paul L. Pugliese.